The South Asia Chapter of the International Society of Public Law (ICON·S) invites applications for its inaugural Annual Workshop and Conference for early-career scholars, to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in January 2027.
The South Asian regional chapter of ICON·S was created in 2026 to facilitate jurisdiction-based inquiries sensitive to the broader regional context and its implications for constitutional law within South Asia. Committed to nurturing a scholarly community rooted in mutual support among academics working in challenging contexts, the Chapter aims to promote capacity- and community-building among early-career scholars.
This commitment includes an annual in-person writing workshop and conference. The workshop is intended for early-career South Asian scholars to discuss their works-in-progress, receive detailed and constructive feedback, and connect with other scholars working in and on South Asia. The Chapter is organizing an in-person workshop on, tentatively, 8 and 9 January 2027 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, supplemented by an in-person conference on, tentatively, 10 January 2027 — a day for networking with the broader public law community through paper presentations and capacity-building sessions.
At a glance
- Abstract deadline: 30 June 2026
- Workshop: 8–9 January 2027
- Conference: 10 January 2027
- Venue: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Who May Apply
Selection proceeds through a competitive, multi-stage process. Any scholar who self-identifies as early-career may apply, subject to two eligibility requirements:
- Applicants must hold a Master’s or a PhD degree, or be actively pursuing a PhD (in law or any other allied discipline); and
- If they hold a PhD, it must have been awarded after 1 January 2019.
The workshop offers an opportunity for rigorous, critical engagement with one’s own writing and that of fellow participants. If selected, you will be expected to attend the entire workshop and to arrive prepared to discuss not only your own manuscript but also those of your peers, having read them and prepared comments in advance.
How to Apply
As the first stage, applicants must submit a 1,000-word abstract on a topic related to public law in South Asia (broadly conceived), to be developed into an article-length manuscript (10,000–12,000 words) prior to the workshop.
- Email to: icons.southasia@gmail.com
- Subject line: ‘Application for South Asian Public Law Workshop 2026–2027’
- Include: 1,000-word abstract + CV (max. two pages)
- Deadline: 11:59 PM IST · 30 June 2026
Longlisted applicants will, in due course, be informed of their status and requested to submit a 4,000-word manuscript by a specified date. A final shortlisting will follow, with shortlisted scholars expected to submit a completed article-length manuscript by 30 November 2026. Spaces are very limited, and the process is expected to be highly competitive. Some financial support may be available to cover travel and accommodation; details will be shared with selected participants who lack institutional funding. For any queries, write to the email address above.
A Note on Academic Integrity
The Chapter maintains a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism and the inappropriate use of generative AI tools — all work submitted must be the original contribution of the scholar. Manuscripts may be screened, including via third-party services, to detect such issues. Any applicant found in breach will be immediately disqualified and may be blacklisted from future Chapter activities.